Saturday, May 26, 2012

The Stone Roses - The Collectors Edition Box Set (2009)

The Stone Roses is the debut album by English rock band The Stone Roses, released on Silvertone Records in 1989. It cemented the band's reputation among critics, and is still rated by some as one of the most influential albums. In 2004 an Observer Music Monthly poll consisting of musicians and critics voted the album the greatest of all time, as did the writers of NME in 2006, declaring it to be the greatest British album of all time. It is widely considered as the seminal record of the Madchester movement that was active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and as being highly responsible for the mid 1990s resurrection of British guitar music that came to be known as Britpop.

The album was first released in the UK in the first half of 1989, and in the US on 25 July 1989. In 1999, on the 10th anniversary of its release, a two-disc special edition re-release of The Stone Roses reached #9 on the UK albums chart. In 2009, the remastered 20th anniversary edition was released in several formats: the standard 11-track album (with the bonus track "Fools Gold") on CD and 12" vinyl LP (the LP version includes a bonus one-sided 7" single featuring the unreleased demo track "Pearl Bastard"); a deluxe edition 2CD/1DVD set, featuring the album on disc one, a 15-track collection of unreleased demos titled The Lost Demos on disc two, and a DVD featuring a 1989 live performance titled Live in Blackpool; and a 3CD/3LP/1DVD collector's edition box set, which features:

- The remastered 11-track album on one CD and one LP
- The Lost Demos on one CD
- The B-sides on one CD
- Two LPs
- Live in Blackpool DVD
- A 48-page booklet, containing unseen photos and new interviews
- Six 12"-sized art prints featuring John Squire's original single artwork
- A lemon-shaped USB stick, featuring digital files of:
- The album, the demos, and the B-sides
- Five previously unreleased "backwards tracks"
- Six music videos
- Up at Sawmills: The Making of Fools Gold documentary video
- Exclusive desktop wallpapers, ringtones, and a 48-page digital booklet

The Stone Roses Line-Up

Review

Two discs-59 and 64 minutes each approximately. There is a DVD included with this set,consisting of live footage from 1989 and six videos of a number of the tracks from the original album. The packaging is nice-a quadruple-fold out,with the three discs snapped in plastic keepers. The booklet has a number of good color photographs of the band members. There are also several pages on the band and its music by Ian Brown and Gary "Mani" Mounfield,plus an overview by John Robb. On my copy of their first album from a number of years ago,there's a finished track,"Elephant Stone",that's not listed on this current release,except in different form as a demo. This,and other singles/early tracks can be found on other releases such as "The Complete Stone Roses" album,although a number of tracks are shortened in length. Another fine collection is "Turns Into Stone",which contains fewer tracks but they are full length. A lot of other tracks are also on the limited edition box set,which contains (among a lot of other stuff) another disc of tracks. Likewise,on the current release,"Fools Gold" is listed on the back of the package,but not on the inside,under the disc,with the other tracks. There is also a "surprise" at the end of the demo disc. Fifteen tracks are listed,but the CD player lists twenty. There's nothing until track twenty-enjoy!
The original album is considered to be one of the best albums of all time ( in Britain) by a number of critics and fans. And for good reason. It came out at just the right time. A combination of bits of acid house,punk,pop,and a bit of psychedelia mixed together-it was the perfect sound for the times. The band was influenced by another group,XTC,under the guise,THE DUKES OF STRATOSPHEAR,and their perfect re-creation/homage to sixties psychedelic/pop music,and it shows. The songs "The Waterfall",and "Don't Stop",are perfect examples of THE STONE ROSES style. The first track has a mixture of acid house feel,sixties style psychedelic guitar,suitably trippy ("shes a waterfall") lyrics,with a pop music sound. The latter song takes the psychedelic guitar/vocal sound even further to great effect. After a few changes in personnel,the band settled on Ian Brown-vocals,John Squire-guitar,Gary Mounfield-bass,and Alan "Reni" Wren-drums and backing vocals. But one of the best things the band did was hire the fine producer (BEATLES,John Lennon,George Harrison,etc.) John Leckie. He took the band's somewhat retro sound and up-dated their music and produced a huge,euphoric,somewhat spacey sound that fit the times perfectly.
By now most people have heard the band's first (and best) album. While the sound of the original release was good,this addition is just a bit cleaner,crisper. There is an immediacy to the vocals,which are up front,along with that great guitar sound,that helped define this band. Both the bass and the drums are a bit cleaner in this new version,and add greatly to the band's sound. Overall,this new version only intensifies the band's sound. But what this album has going for it is a certain,undefinable "something". Everything seems to bend and flow together into a sound that's quite arresting and powerful. From the first track,"I Wanna Be Adored",into "She Bangs The Drums",through to "I Am The Ressurection",this album doesn't let up in its appeal. The "bonus" track,"Fools Gold",is a bit confusing to me,as its on my original copy of the album,in all its full length glory. Possibly it wasn't on the original British release or subsequent releases of the album. For those who don't own this song,its a welcome addition-fitting in seamlessly with the rest of the tracks. Twenty years on,the power and intensity of this album lives on,which is proof of its timelessness and appeal.
The second disc of "lost demos" is not a collection of throwaways. While lacking the power of the finished tracks (naturally),these demos give a deeper view into the band and Leckie's production. Are they truly worthwhile? Yes. Besides giving a look into the first album's finished sound,a number of tracks are enjoyable on their own merit. Besides demos of several of the original album tracks,there's a number of songs that were tried out,that didn't make it onto the first album. The sound on these demos is far better than the bands first demos,heard on "Garage Flower". Examples like "Going Down" has an almost early r&r feel to it. "Something's Burning",a low key combination of pop and psychedelia,has the feel of the original album's sound,and would fit in seamlessly. "One Love" has that STONE ROSES guitar sound,with the rhythm section wrapped around it,which is one of the high points of these demos.
For those familiar with this record,this is a good buy,with worthwhile extra tracks and good sound. For those unfamiliar with this band,give some of these tracks a listen-you,too,will be captivated,and wonder how something this good slipped by you unnoticed (Stuart Jefferson)

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